Batman V Superman: Batcave Can Be Explored In Virtual Reality

Even though many film critics, culture writers and prominent comic book industry veterans thought Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’s interpretation of the two most iconic superheroes was completely off — a snarling Superman? a mopey Clark Kent? a Batman who kills? a Bruce Wayne who has one night stands? — they would probably agree that Warner Brothers and Zack Snyder at least got one thing right: the Batcave.

In a brilliant piece of cross-promotion, Warners has teamed up with Google to provide a stunningly detailed 360-degree tour of the underground lair, which can be experienced on Google Streetview on a computer, smartphone, or — best of all — on a VR headset.

The movie cost US$250 million to make, and Snyder obviously didn’t skimp on set design, because the Batcave is impressively detailed.

I snapped on my Samsung Gear VR headset and began at the lake side glass house (it’s titled Bruce Wayne’s residence in the Google app, so not sure if this is exactly Wayne Mano) that served as the backdrop for a brief scene between Wayne and Alfred early in the film. Swiping the touchpad on my VR headset forward, I was able to “walk” down the house’s corridor, through a tunnel/driveway, and into the cave. The first thing that greets me is the Batmobile, and boy, does it look intimidating in VR.

I circled around the vehicle and marveled at the intricate details of its quarter-panel. Turning around, I could see Batman’s lab — no doubt where he crafted that Kryonite grenade.

Explorer deeper into the lair, I came across a room dedicated to Batman’s many guns (he kills in this movie, remember?), and a Robin costume, stored inside a glass case. While the backstory behind that specific costume was not explained in the movie, fans familiar with the Batman comics know it belongs to Jason Todd, the second Robin who’s murdered by the Joker (he has since come back to life in the comics … don’t ask). Chances are we’ll see the scene of Jared Leto’s Joker committing the crime in a flashback scene in this summer’s Suicide Squad.

Take a closer look at the suit to see that its been vandalized by the Joker

Unfortunately, while the Samsung Galaxy S6′s quad HD display — from which the Gear VR pulls its visuals — may be stunning for a mobile phone screen, it’s underpowered when stretched to an all-encompassing virtual reality. There’s a bit of pixelation when examining things up close. Still, it‘s a very immersive experience that any fan of Batman should check out.